Tag Archives: Family Food

Slowcooker Pineapple Orange Pork Chops

14 Apr

I am not a fan of pork, but my husband loves the pig. Luckily for all of us, I have an evening work event tonight and I am planning to have a yummy meal of pork chops waiting for him and our girls. Everyone wins!

I’m modifying a recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking: Orange Apricot Pork Chops.  My recipe substitutes the apricot with pineapple preserves because apricots are banned forever from our household. I had a terrible experience with canned apricots when I was 5. Lois the lunch lady, an iconic figure in a white uniform and a mustache, made me eat the two apricot halves remaining on my plate. I sat alone at a lunch table staring at the gelatinous, bitter fruit for what seemed like an eternity. I choked down one half and hid the other half in a can of crayons when Lois wasn’t looking. She caught on to me though and I had to eat the remaining half of the crayon-dusted apricot. Boo, Lois! My revenge on Lois is to never ever eat another apricot.

Pineapple Orange Pork Chops

3 boneless pork chops (on sale this week from Cub!)
1 cup pineapple preserves
3 T brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
2 navel oranges juiced (I plan on squeezing the orange halves and then adding the juice and the squozen? squozed? orange slices in the slow cooker.)

Directions
Add the pork chops to a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.  Combine remaining ingredients (minus oranges) in a bowl and spoon over pork chops. Peel the oranges, squeeze the juice into the slow cooker and toss in the oranges. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

My husband is a very bright man, but he is not a genius in the kitchen. Given his skill level I’ll prepare makings for instant mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. He should be able to manage that easily and hopefully he and the girls will have a good meal without me. I’ll ask him to comment tonight with a review.  Enjoy!

And, if you are in Rapid City, South Dakota, stop by Memorial Christian School and stick your tongue out as you drive by.

Update: Pineapple orange pork chops are a hit! My husband said the chops were zesty and tender. This recipe made it into his top 10. Let me know if you try it out.

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Slow Cooker Potato Soup – Where’s The Beef?

27 Mar

My friend, Amber, a rock star working mom of three boys, helps me find recipes to feature on my blog. She found a great blog,  Vegetarian Slow Cooker, with a helpful rating system to share what worked and what needs some tweaking.

Thinking about vegetarian food reminds me that way back in the day I was vegetarian. From age eleven to 21 I did not eat red meat and I only ate chicken or turkey every once in a while to be adaptable while living and traveling abroad. I happily enjoyed meatless meals until I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1996. I was teaching English abroad and did my very best to avoid eating beef. It really wasn’t an option. At a friend’s barbecue I was presented with a sausage and told with a wink that it was a plant. From that point on I ate meat every once in a while and enjoyed empanadas and steak. Still, I refused to eat morcilla, blood sausage. Um … no. Just, no.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Ingredients:

- 5 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks

- 1 large yellow onion, diced

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt

- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- 8 C vegetable stock

- 16 oz cream cheese

- For the garnish: shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chives or green onions, faux bacon bits (optional)

Add all ingredients into the slow cooker, minus the cream cheese and garnish. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. At the end of the cooking time, the potatoes should be fork-tender. Cut up the cream cheese into blocks and blend. You can use an immersion blender or blend the soup in a cuisinart or blender.  Top the soup with the garnish and enjoy!

I plan on making this soup this week and I’m going to see if the recipe is forgiving enough to cook on low for 9-10 hours, long enough for a working out of the home day. I’m looking forward to trying this. Thanks, Amber!

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Slow Cooker Roast Chicken with Lemon – Easy Peasy

25 Mar

We eat a lot of chicken in our house. Probably more chicken than my husband would like. But, I love chicken. Let me recap a quick conversation I once overheard in an elevator in D.C.:

Woman 1: What’s for lunch today?

Woman 2: Chicken.

Woman 1: You had chicken for lunch yesterday!

Woman 2: I know. I can’t get away from the bird.

I love that. I can’t get away from the bird either. Chicken is tasty!

I’m working from home now, but that doesn’t mean I have a lot of extra time on my hands. My slow cooker is still my best friend as a busy mom of two. I feel compelled to share the easiest slow cooker meal with you. It’s so easy it almost feels like cheating. For working parents gone all day, this recipe is for you because it takes 8-10 hours to cook.

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken With Lemon

Start drooling now, because here is slow cooker roast chicken with lemon.  The recipe is basically A) put the chicken in the slow cooker, B) add a sliced lemon and salt and pepper to taste and C) close the lid. But, for the sake of writing, I’ll try to draw it out a wee bit.

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken with Lemon

Ingredients:

- 1 whole chicken/fryer [Note: grocery stores have sales on these sometimes. The bird tonight cost $3.81 - for a family of four, that's money in the bank friends!]

- 1 lemon – sliced in half

- salt and pepper to taste [I like to use kosher salt and coarse black pepper, but anything will work here.]

Directions:

- Remove the neck (for this city girl, kinda gross) and place the bird in the slow cooker.

- Squeeze the lemon juice over the bird and add the lemon halves (rind and all) to the slow cooker.

- Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over the bird.

- Close the lid. I say this because it is very important to have the lid firmly closed on a slow cooker in order to cook properly. And, remember, no peeking! You’ll let the steam escape and that is bad, for lack of a better reason.

- Set your slow cooker on LOW for 8-10 hours. By the time you return home your house will smell heavenly and the chicken is so moist and tender it just falls off the bone.

It’s easy to make a quick gravy from the drippings. Strain the juices into a saucepan using a fine mesh colander. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of flour and whisk together on low heat. This gravy is to die for because it has a light, lemony flavor.

I am serving this with instant mashed potatoes (hey, at least I’m honest!) and steamed carrots.

Enjoy!

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From My Mom’s Kitchen – Ham and Tomato Pie

1 Mar

When my husband and I were dating, my mom grilled him turkey burgers with chopped bacon inside. His comment, “You put meat inside of meat? Double meat?” Needless to say he was gobsmacked and I’m pleased he married me and not my mother.

He is a huge fan of her cooking and this is one of his all time favorites. You all will love her Ham and Tomato Pie, or as my husband simply dubbed it, meat pie.

Ham and Tomato Pie

1 8oz pkg diced ham
1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 9″ frozen unbaked deep dish pie shell
1 T Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
2 medium plum tomatoes sliced
1 large egg
1/2 cup of half and half cream
1 T chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp pepper

In a pan, sauté ham and onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Brush the pie shell with Dijon mustard and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese.  Spoon the ham mixture evenly over cheese, then top with a layer of the sliced tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg and cream until well blended. Pour over the ham and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and basil.

Bake on the lowest rack for 20 minutes at 425°. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting

This pie is truly tasty and is lovely served with a fresh green salad.

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Applesauce Brown Sugar Chicken

24 Feb

I made a delicious dinner tonight. I’m not even ashamed to toot my own horn here. Once again I called my mom for dinner advice and she invented a seriously flavorful dish. Hip Hip Hooray for my mom!

Applesauce Brown Sugar Chicken

- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 1 cup of applesauce

- 1 T A1 Steak Sauce

- 1 T balsamic vinegar

- 1 T brown sugar

- black pepper to taste

Lay the chicken in a baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients (minus the sugar) in a small bowl and mix well. Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

I served with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and crusty bread. This recipe is a winner because it is easy, fast, our house smelled fantastic, the chicken was moist and we all loved the nice balance of the sweet applesauce with the tart vinegar. Even our three-year-old said, “Mother, I love the aroma and the chicken is amazingly tender.”  Not really. But, she did like it.

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Spinach and Sausage Whole Grain Rotini

23 Feb

I rarely come up with my own recipes, but today inspiration struck. I started with sweet Italian sausage, a box of whole grain rotini and hunted around the fridge for the rest. The dish was hearty enough for a snowy evening, but not too heavy. To prepare this the night before, make according to the directions, pour the mixture in a casserole dish and reheat.

Spinach and Sausage Whole Grain Rotini

-  1 box whole grain rotini (any pasta will work though)

-  Italian sausage

-  1 c chopped frozen spinach

-  ½ c olive oil

-  ½ c butter

- 1 tsp chopped garlic

- 1 red bell pepper, chopped

- 1 c chopped onions

- 1 c grated Parmesan

- 1 c sour cream

- black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, brown the sausage in a skillet. Drain the pasta and drain the grease off the sausage. Mix pasta, sausage and remaining ingredients. Cook on low heat for a few minutes until warmed. Serve immediately. 

I can’t wait to make this in the summer when I have fresh basil and spinach readily available. Let me know if you try it!

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Heavenly Slow Cooker Chicken

22 Feb

My friend, Amber, has the slow cooking fever and shared this recipe with me. We’ve had chicken three nights in a row, so I won’t be making this today. Maybe Thursday. My husband considers chicken to be a quasi-vegetable. If I make chicken too often, he complains mildly. I say mildly because he knows it’s me who does the cooking, so if he protests too much he’ll be reliving his bachelor days of a sub sandwich for dinner. I digress. Back to the recipe.

Jennie’s Heavenly Slow Cooker Chicken

  • 2 T butter
  • 1 package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 8oz container chive and onion cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the salad dressing mix, mushroom soup, cream cheese, and wine until the sauce mixture is hot, smooth and well combined. Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a slow cooker, and pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

My Notes

I probably will tweak her recipe a bit by using cream of chicken or cream of celery soup instead of mushroom (just not a fan of the shroom) and using chicken broth instead of the wine to keep it G-rated for my kids. Looking forward to trying it! Thanks, Amber!

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Cozy Winter Meal – White Spaghetti and Meatballs

27 Jan

My mom found the recipe for White Spaghetti several years ago and, in my opinion, it is the epitome of comfort food. Well, second in line behind grilled cheese and tomato soup.

The original recipe calls for white wine, but when I make it for my family I omit the wine and use additional chicken broth.

White Spaghetti

Ingredients

- minced garlic

- 2 T flour

- 1 T olive oil

- 1/2 cup white wine (or replace with broth for a G-rated recipe)

- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth

- 1 8oz package cream cheese

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (fresh is lovely, but dried will work in a pinch)

- 1 package spaghetti noodles [Note: I have made this recipe with several types of pasta - penne, rotini, shells - any pasta will do]

- pre-made meatballs, enough for about 3-5 per person (I like the turkey meatballs available at Costco.)

 

Directions

- In large pot, boil water. Add meatballs and noodles. Cook according to package directions for pasta.

- In medium saucepan add garlic, olive oil and flour. Stir.

- Add wine/broth. Whisk.

- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

- Add cream cheese in small chunks. Whisk until smooth. Add pepper and parsley.

- Drain cooked noodles and meatballs, add back into large pot and add cream cheese sauce. Mix well.

 

This meal is nice when served with a green salad and crusty bread. You can also pour the pasta into a casserole dish, cover with foil and freeze for later. [Note: if you freeze the dish, thaw when ready and bake at 350° for 30 min.]

Enjoy!

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Hotdish Two Ways – Probably Not the Next Quick Fire Challenge on Top Chef

26 Jan
To my meat-loving husband’s chagrin, our dinner last night was Garden Vegetable Hotdish. I thought it was tasty and filling as a main dish, but I think next time I will serve it as a side. Also, for those of you reading this outside of Minnesota, please note that “hotdish” = casserole.
My neighbor forwarded this recipe to me, but my version is different simply because I lacked some of the ingredients. So, first, her recipe:
Michelle’s Veggie Hotdish
- 4 or 6 zucchini peeled and cut into rounds
- 2 carrots shredded
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 can of cream chicken or cream mushroom
- 1 8oz sour cream
- 1/2 of red pepper chopped
- 1 pkg herb seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing
- 1 stick of margarine, butter or vegetable oil spread
Sauté 3/4 stick of butter with vegetables in large saucepan. In a large bowl add sour cream, soup, half of the stuffing and mix well. Add vegetables to soup mixture, mix well, and pour into 9×13 pan. For topping, melt 1/4 stick of butter with remaining stuffing mix and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Amy on the Prairie’s Garden Vegetable Hotdish (Inspired by Michelle and my limited pantry ingredients…)
- 3 zucchini chopped
- 4 carrots shredded
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cans cream of chicken (less sodium version) [Note: to make this vegetarian, use cream of celery soup]
- 4 cups brown rice
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- Dash black pepper, kosher salt and paprika to taste
- In medium saucepan cook brown rice according to package directions. [Note: I always add the rice to the pan, 1 T of olive oil to coat the rice, and then I add the water.]
- In a large bowl add cooked rice, soup, vegetables, shredded cheeses, spices and mix well.
- Pour mixture into 9×13 pan coated with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
We served with crusty bread and next time I think I will serve it with grilled chicken. I’m looking forward to trying Michelle’s version the next time I can remember to add stuffing mix to my shopping cart!
 

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Blessed Recipes – Shannon’s White Bean Chicken Chili

25 Jan

My friends and I were talking last week about sharing our blessed recipes — the recipes that our cook, kid, and husband tested. Maybe we’ll assemble a cookbook and make a million dollars. That scenario seems unlikely (although if publishers are reading this, call me!) so I will continue sharing my blessed recipes with you.

This white chicken chili recipe is from Shannon by way of a fabulous blogger, Life In Recipes. Here is Shannon’s testimonial:

I’ve made other white chicken chili recipes, but this is the most simple and kid friendly.  I made it according to the directions, except I let the beans soak for about four hours after the short boil, I didn’t use as much chicken, and I sautéed the onions and garlic in a little butter before adding them to the cooking beans.  The girls ate it plain and we added shredded sharp cheddar and jarred, sliced jalapeños on top for the adults.  We served it with cornbread.  Yum!  The girls have eaten it for two nights in a row now and they are very picky.

There you have it – a blessed recipe from a busy mom with picky eaters. I hope it generates rave reviews from your family.

adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
1 pound dried navy beans
5 cooked, chicken breasts – chopped or shredded
1 medium onion, diced
1 quart chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 T minced garlic
1. Pre-soak your beans, drain, place in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or dutch oven, add the diced onion, add enough water to cover and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender (about an hour).
2.  Dice the cooked chicken.  When the beans are tender, add the chicken, broth, and remaining ingredients.  Taste for seasoning.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer until flavors have blended – about 30 minutes more.
3. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, cheese, fresh herbs, tortilla chips, corn bread, or a combination of any of these.

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